There’s nothing quite like beginning a new adventure. For writers, there are many on which we can embark. The initial decision to become a writer is only a stepping stone into that vast realm. Like any new venture it fills us with a sense of exhilaration and uncertainty. Questions abound:

Where will this road take me?

Does fame and fortune await?

Am I cut out for the trials ahead?

Do I have the skill to do this, let alone stick it out for the long hall?

Will I be rejected or mocked for taking this leap of faith?

I have no doubt other fiction writers feel the same way as I. They’ve probably asked these questions and more. If they’re honest, they’ll admit it readily. If not – well…good luck squeezing the truth out of them. We are by nature the masters of mask wearing. Facades are our specialty and donning many hats just comes with the territory. After all, we spend our days concocting worlds, characters and storyline. It’s our job to know what the reader wants. And if we don’t know, then we find out. Sometimes – I think – we can’t help allowing those fictional realms to slip into the real world. We begin by trying to sell our stories, then discover that to sell the story, we must sell ourselves.

But what if our potential readers don’t like what they see? Heck! Most days I don’t like what I see. So how do I sell that?

Well, we come full circle to that facade thing again. Some writers choose to take it up – only showing what they believe others want to see. Honestly, I struggle with that every day. But the more I contemplate it, the more I realize that I value transparency over facade. Open transparency makes us vulnerable – yes – but it also compels others to be vulnerable too. And in that open transparency we welcome people to see us for who we really are while assuring them that we are interested in seeing them as a whole also.

So who am I? Many things…

A daughter, sister, wife and mother.

A writer.

A lover of Christ.

A lover of History.

So, consequently, an aspiring Historical Fiction author.

Imagination, intrigue and a zeal to learn are my constant companions.

I am M.N. Stroh.

And I have so many stories I wish to share with you!